Deadpool and Wolverine’s unused Avengers crossover plan would have been the MCU’s “Across the Spider-Verse”

Marvel Studios’ original Avengers team almost made an appearance in Deadpool and Wolverineand this would have given Wade Wilson’s MCU debut a great animated twist. Deadpool and Wolverine quickly became one of the most popular Marvel films, quickly surpassing the 2019 joker and became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. This tremendous success proves how well director Shawn Levy and lead actor Ryan Reynolds managed to bring Wade Wilson’s Deadpool into the MCU, but they took it almost further.

Deadpool and Wolverine contained many references to the MCU’s Earth-616, as Deadpool himself was offered the opportunity to move from Fox’s Earth-10005 to the safety of the Sacred Timeline. Prior to this offer, Wade Wilson traveled to the United States in the months before Infinity Warto meet with Happy Hogan and ask for a spot on the Avengers team. Deadpool was denied this opportunity, but new concept drawings of Deadpool and Wolverine was released, suggesting that Deadpool almost got his wishbut different than expected.

Andy Park’s Deadpool and Wolverine plan brought Deadpool into a Marvel universe inspired by animated comics

On August 22, Andy Park, Director of Visual Development at Marvel Studios, released previously unpublished concept art of Deadpool and Wolverine This shows that Deadpool almost got his place in the Avengers team. However, instead of being the live-action Avengers team from Phase 1 of the MCU, Deadpool would have traveled to a reality inspired by Marvel Comics and met an animated version of the superhero teamThis team consisted of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye in the style of various Marvel comic artists.

While Deadpool is in the style of his co-creator Rob Liefeld, who often appears in Deadpool and Wolverinethe other Avengers adopt different styles from some of Marvel Comics’ most famous illustrators. Tony Stark’s Iron Man and Bruce Banner’s Hulk reflect the designs of Bob Layton, while Steve Rogers’ Captain America was drawn in the style of Marvel legend Jack Kirby. Walter Simonson’s art inspired Thor, while Jim Lee’s art was reflected in Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow and Clint Barton’s HawkeyeIt would have been incredible to see Deadpool team up with these comic-inspired Avengers.

Theories emerged before Deadpool and Wolverine Release that the big-mouthed mercenary and the clawed mutant would travel through the history of the MCU, but that did not happen in the final version of the Phase 5 film. Andy Parks’ concept art suggests this was part of the plan, although these iconic MCU moments would have taken place in alternate universes, such as one inspired by Marvel Comics.This would have mirrored previous Marvel films that also bridged the gap between live-action and animation, and would be a fun addition to Deadpool and Wolverine.

The MCU’s live-action heroes can still transition into animation and vice versa

Interestingly, Andy Parks Deadpool and Wolverine Concept art confirms that Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool would have adopted an animated style inspired by Marvel Comics after traveling to this alternate reality. This maintains continuity with previous MCU installments, especially 2022 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This Phase 4 film explored the multiverse more than any other, letting Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange and Xochitl Gomez’ America Chavez travel through many realitiesincluding an animated version.

During their multiversal journey, Doctor Strange and America Chavez briefly enter an animated universe and their bodies change to match the animation style. The same effect occurs when they transform into color, cube, or a black and white monochrome style. This, together with Deadpool and Wolverine new concept art suggests that live-action and animation universes may collide in the MCU, with the respective characters changing to match the reality they find themselves in. This is very different from what is seen in Sony’s animated Spider-Vers Franchise.

2023 Spider-Man: Through the Spider-Verse saw both animated and live-action characters move to different universes. Donald Glover’s live-action character Prowler found himself in the animated series Spider Society, but was still portrayed as a live-action character, while the animated film Spot entered Sony’s Spider-Man universe to meet Mrs. Chen, but stayed in his animation style. However, in the MCU, live-action characters would be animated when they cross the boundaries of the universe, which would be great to use in the future of the MCU..

Deadpool’s journey in the animated comic would have been the perfect homage to his origins

It would have been fantastic to see Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool spend more time with the original Avengers team in the Marvel Comics-inspired reality Deadpool and Wolverinenot least because it would have been his dream come true. Aside from being purely entertaining, it would have been a wonderful homage to his Marvel Comics roots. Andy Parks’ concept art shows Deadpool in the style of Rob Liefeld, who created the Merc with a Mouth with comic book writer Fabian Nicieza in the early 1990s..

Rob Liefeld has become one of Marvel Comics’ most famous contributors thanks to his creation of Deadpool. Liefeld has received a number of references in Deadpool and Wolverineincluding the “Just feet” Store, referring to Liefeld’s legendary inability to draw feet properly, which was most evident in Deadpool. Deadpool joined Marvel Comics’ Avengers team after 2015. Secret Wars Event, but not the original cast of the group in the MCU. It would have been a brilliant development to see him interact with Captain America, Iron Man, and others, as this might have been his only opportunity to do so.

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